Ammunition boxes for housing fan-like assemblies of cartridges



' Nov. 16, 1965 P. STUBBE 3,217,600

AMMUNITION BOXES FOR HOUSING FAN-LIKE ASSEMBLIES OF CARTRIDGES Filed March 5, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 P. STUBBE Nov. 16, 1965 AMMUNITION BOXES FOR HOUSING FAN-LIKE ASSEMBLIES OF CARTRIDGES Filed March 3, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jnvenfur: P621731 Sibbbe %@@MZ@% W Aim.

United States Patent 3,217,600 AMMUNITIQN BOXES FOR HDUSING FAN-LIKE ASSEMBLIES OF CARTRIDGES Peter Stiibbe, Vlotho (Weser), Germany, assignor to Friedrich Stiibbe, Vlotho (Weser), Germany Fiied Mar. 3, 1964, Ser. No. 349,105 Claims priority, application Germany, Dec. 16, 1963, St 21,470 6 Claims. (Cl. 8934) This invention relates to ammunition boxes for housing fan-like assemblies of cartridges.

Heretofore ammunition boxes of this type, comprise rectangular sheet metal bodies which do not prevent the cartridges shaking about.

It is an object of this invention to construct the boxes themselves in such a manner that the fan-shaped assemblies of cartridges are supported therein in shake-proof manner without special further aids, and that at the same time the primers are shielded. Moreover, handling of the crates is facilitated, one factor which contributes to the achievement of this object being that the weight of the crates themselves is reduced. Also, the invention provides for the crates to be capable of being stacked either on their broad side or on edge, and of being seized rapidly from their stacked positions, with easy access to the handles.

The invention is substantially characterised in that the side walls of the box-shaped crate converge towards the centre of the packing crate, the converging surfaces being aligned with the tapered outlines of the shell fan assembly. In other words, a close-fitting conical seat is provided for the shell fan assembly in the boxes by which they are fixed in their position. To enable these boxes whose side walls follow approximately hyperbolic lines, to be also stacked on end, the packing crates are equipped on their narrow sides with fiat members whose outer surfaces are parallel with one another and which have a central constriction so as to form a carrying handle in each case. This provides a lateral carrying facil ity in the form of carrying handles which will not tear as has frequently been the case in conventional packing crates. Recesses are left in the flat members in which the components of the locking mechanism for the lids can be accommodated in a flush position.

The advantages of the packing crate of the invention become fully effective only when the crate is produced from synthetic material in an injection-moulding process. This process also ofiers the possibility to mould boxshaped crates with a partition between the spaces for the fan-shaped shell assemblies, the said partition finding support on the broad sides of the box by means of semi-cylindrical rounded portions, thus forming unilaterally closed pockets for the several shell fan assemblies. This ensures the particularly well-protected storage of the shell primers.

Further details of the invention will become apparent from the following description of an embodiment thereof, illustrated in the drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a packing crate according to the invention in perspective; and

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 but partly in section.

As shown in the drawings, the crate consists of the body 1 and detachable ends or lids 2. The body is characterised in that opposed side walls 3 converge inwardly from the open ends of the body, the convergence corresponding to the sides of the fan-shaped assemblies of cartridges to be received in the body 1 and which are introduced from both ends so that two superposed assemblies may be housed in the body. The spaces which re- 3,2116% Patented Nov. 16, 1965 ceive these fan assemblies are indicated at A and B, and are separated by a partition 4 integrally connected to the top and bottom walls of the body by rounded end portions 5. Support members 6 project from the rounded end portions 5 for supporting rollers of brackets which hold the fan assemblies. This leaves the end rims '7 of the body 1 free and allows the fitting of a sealing bead or tape for protecting the cartridges from moisture and dirt after the lids have been placed in position. The fan assemblies are thus situated in superposed closed pockets 4, 5 whose inward-tapered side Walls prevent the fan assemblies from shaking, the sensitive primers of the cartridges being situated at the closed ends of the pockets.

To enable the ammunition boxes to be stacked on end, flat members 8 are provided on the sides of the box which impart to it a rectangular shape in general outline. Those fiat members are integral with the converging side walls 3 and terminate short of the rims 7 of the body so that they form a supporting rim 9 which co-operates with a rib 10 on the top wall for engaging the lids. The cavities existing between the flat members 8 and the walls 3 are sealed off from the outer air by covering wall portions 11. At the centre of the body, the flat members 8 are recessed to form a carrying handle 12. Locking mechanism 14 for the lid 2 is provided in recesses 13 of the fiat members so as to be disposed substantially flush with the outer rectangular surface of the body.

Stiffening ribs 15 form part of the moulding on the top, the areas between the ribs being adapted to permit lettering or other identification marks to be marked on the cases without such marks being damaged during stacking and handling of the cases. On the end faces, the lids may also be provided with carrying straps 16.

What I claim is:

1. An ammunition box for housing superposed fanshaped assemblies of cartridges comprising a hollow body having open ends and including top, bottom and opposed side walls, each side wall including portions converging inwardly from the opposite ends of the body, the angle of convergence of said side walls corresponding to the tapered sides of the fan-shaped assemblies of cartridges.

2. An ammunition box as claimed in claim 1, wherein fiat wall members are integrally connected to the outer surfaces of said side walls, the outer surfaces of said flat Wall portions extending parallel to one another.

3. An ammunition box for housing superposed fanshaped assemblies of cartridges comprising a hollow body having open ends and including top, bottom and opposed side Walls, each side wall including portions converging inwardly from the opposite ends of the body, the angle of convergence of said side walls corresponding to the tapered sides of the fan-shaped assemblies of cartridges, a fiat outer wall member integral with the outer surface of each said side wall, each flat outer Wall member having an outer face extending parallel to the outer face of the flat wall member on the opposite side of the body, and recesses formed in said flat wall members defining a carrying handle.

4. An ammunition box comprising a hollow body having open ends and including top, bottom and opposed side walls, a partition wall extending longitudinally of the body to define superposed cavities, each adapted to receive a fan-shaped assembly of cartridges, a curved wall at opposite ends of said partition Wall respectively integrally connected to the top and bottom of the body, side walls for said cavities comprising wall portions converging inwardly from opposite ends of the body, the angle of convergence of said side walls corresponding to the tapered sides of the fan shaped assemblies.

3 4 5. An ammunition box as claimed in claim 4, wherein each outer flat Wall member having a recess, and locking fiat Wall members are integrally connected to the outer e hani m for lid located in said recess, surfaces of said side walls, the outer surfaces of the flat wall members extending parallel to one another. No references cited.

6. An ammunition box as claimed in claim 5, wherein 5 a detachable lid is provided for each end of the body, BENJAMIN BORCHELT, P Examine)- 

1. AN AMMUNITION BOX FOR HOUSING SUPERPOSED FANSHAPED ASSEMBLIES OF CARTRIDGES COMPRISING A HOLLOW BODY HAVING OPEN ENDS AND INCLUDING TOP, BOTTOM AND OPPOSED SIDE WALLS, EACH SIDE WALL INCLUDING PORTIONS CONVERGING INWARDLY FROM THE OPPOSITE ENDS OF THE BODY, THE ANGLE 